Simone arrived at the hospital.


    All along the corridors, patients and nurses alike were whispering about the same thing.


    It didn''t take Simone long to ask a nurse and find out which room Aurora was in.


    She was a mess-her clothes rumpled, her hair tangled, her face pale with exhaustion. Anyone who nced her way could tell she''d been through something harrowing.


    But no one noticed her.


    Every doctor and nurse in the building was caught up in themotion around Aurora. The entire staff seemed to orbit that one room, each person''s attention fixed on her.


    Even patients in critical condition had to wait their turn-Aurora came first, no questions asked.


    In the past, Simone had never questioned this kind of privilege. Girls like them, born under lucky stars, deserved the best. It was only natural that they''d get priority over the ordinary crowd.


    But now...


    Something cold and bitter coiled in Simone''s chest: resentment.


    Why should she have to wait in line behind Aurora? Why wasn''t she the one everyone rushed to help?


    She reached the door to the hospital room and peered through the ss. Inside, the ce was crowded-doctors, the Williams father and son, Queenie, and her own brother, Leonard.


    Leonard''s face, always so stoic and unreadable, was etched with worry. He couldn''t hide it, not this time.


    His own sister had been missing for a day and a night, and he''d never once looked this anxious for her.


    Simone didn''t know what to feel.


    She remembered when it was just the two of them, looking out for each other. She''d protected him once, and he''d protected her.


    She''d always believed she was the most important person in Leonard''s life.


    Aurora''s arrival had changed things, but family was family. That''s what she''d told herself, even when Leonard had hurt her interests to help Aurora. She''d been angry, yes, but she''d never truly resented him.


    From down the hallway came the sound of approaching footsteps and voices.


    Simone froze.


    She recognized one of the voices—it was Joshua.


    He couldn''t see her like this. He''d be disgusted.


    On instinct, Simone ducked into an empty patient room, pressing herself against<fn6be6> This update is avable on f?ndnovel</fn6be6>


    the wall as the footsteps drew closer.


    She heard Ste''s voice outside: "Is Aurora badly hurt?"


    Joshua answered, "Not really. Whoever did this mostly wanted to torment her psychologically-she''s only got a few scrapes and bruises.


    As for Queenie, she wasn''t hurt?t


    all


    s


    IMS


    Simone bit down hard on her lower lip, tasting blood.


    So Leonard had left her behind, let her be humiliated by those men, just to save


    Aurora from a few superficial wounds?


    She''d almost died for Leonard, and he hadn''t even looked back.


    What a wonderful brother. What a loving family.


    Tears slipped down Simone''s cheeks, slow and silent. Yet somehow, her lips


    curled into a strange, twisted smile.


    Something dark and wild was blooming in her heart.


    Inside Aurora''s hospital room, Leonard''s phone rang. It was his assistant.


    "Mr. Lerman," the assistant said, "the other side''s too clever. That house we found wasn''t where Miss Aurora was being held. And the person negotiated with-it turns out he was just ackey, not the real kidnapper."  s


    The assistant hesitated and lowered his voice. "Sir, I think we''ve been yed."


    Foreman had worn a mask and used


    a voice changer; there was no telling


    what he looked or sounded like. All


    he''d needed was someone


    With a


    simr build to impersonate him for negotiations.  s


    Simone barely knew Foreman-she couldn''t tell the difference just by his figure.


    Even if Leonard had shown up in person, there was no way Simone would have escaped unharmed.


    Foreman had backup ns.


    He just hadn''t needed to use them-yet.